Is It Safe to Drink Coffee or Tea on Planes?

After a day of breathing dry, re-circulated air in the airport and on the plane, a cool glass of water or a comforting cup of tea would sure hit the spot. But then your mind wanders to articles you've read where cabin crew discuss a potentially bacteria-filled beverage service. Relax. Warnings these days are often out of an abundance of caution, and newer, stricter regulations for airplane systems mean you won't die from saying yes to a refreshment at 38,000 feet.

Bottled water is now standard on aircraft, so it's not as if the flight attendant is filling your cup straight from the tap in the lavatory, and even the ice is an integral piece of catering delivered to each plane from regulated food-preparation centers.

The stigma of dirty drinking water stems from a study conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) back in 2004, which found that drinking water in an estimated 12.6 percent of aircraft tested positive for various forms of bacteria, including coliform, and failed to meet EPA standards. A direct result, as reported by the Washington Post, saw the EPA mandate stricter inspection and monitoring processes for onboard drinking water, along with frequent and regular disinfection of the systems. The headlines helped change the industry for the better, to be sure, but they also were catchy enough that they stuck in minds—and even now, add to negative opinions of airplane health and cleanliness.

To combat this, Airlines for America, the Washington, D.C.-based lobbying group that represents the U.S.'s largest airlines, reinforces the industry’s focus on safety and standards in their statement on drinking water on flights:

"The safety of our passengers and crew remain the airlines’ primary focus, including the provision of clean drinking water. To meet customer preferences, airlines typically provide bottled water while also ensuring water available through the aircraft onboard water systems is safe. Airlines work closely with the Environmental Protection Agency to ensure that water received from municipalities for onboard systems is safe and to maintain that safety by following rigorous sampling and management requirements once received.”

Personal preference, and not a question of “will this water make me sick,” is now the largest deciding factor when it comes to whether or not to drink. For example, a British Airways flight attendant told Traveler that she doesn’t drink tea onboard, but chalks this up to her “Englishness” and circumstances of the job, saying, “I most enjoy my tea extra strong, and when I’m sat down and relaxing. But time in the air is time at work for me. I mostly fly from Heathrow Terminal 5, where there are Fortnum and Mason kiosks, so I’m never too long from a proper cuppa.”

In the end, rely on common sense and your own observations when deciding whether or drink the water onboard your flight. If it’s from a labelled bottle or has been boiled for coffee or tea, then it’s likely safe; if you’re departing from an international location you know to have lax food safety standards, then decline that drink. Suffering a few hours of thirst is always a better option than chancing days of sickness and serious dehydration.